2026 UCI Road World Championships, Montreal; Elite Women's Road Race: Making Her Escape

Purchase this painting here: "Making Her Escape UCI26-3" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Once the peloton had caught the last of the breakaway, it was the French woman Maeva Squiban that went on the attack on the climb of Mont Royal above Montreal.  With 52 kilometers to race, it was a long shot (or a long solo effort) that she might be able to stay away to the line.  She has done this before in the Tour de France Femmes.  I am sure it felt good to race on roads where most of the fans also speak French.  She was caught when some of the favorites launched their attacks.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the top of this post to purchase this painting. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist → 

Tour Femmes '26, Stage 8: Misfortune

While Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L'IMAD) and Loes Adegeest (Lidl-Trek) were still holding onto an advantage that might make it to Nice ahead of the peloton, the penultimate descent of the day proved her undoing.  She over cooked a corner losing her front wheel and found herself sliding across the corner on her chest.  I am always surprised that riders opt to not wear gloves and I believe that decision may have been what made her unable to hold the bars once she got back on her bike.  After the initial fall, the adrenaline rush, the pain began to set in.  It was painful to just watch as she cried out in pain while being tended to by the medic on the back of the motorcycle.  It was painful enough that she cried out that she had had enough and swung away from the moto.  It appeared she was done for the day and the Tour, but no, she was just done with the stinging anticeptic.  She did finish the day about four minutes behind the peloton.  Hopefully, she will be able to start the final day of the Tour - and finish it.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Misfortune TdFF26-51" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →

Tour Femmes '26, Stage 8: Flying Over the Col

It was quite the costume that greeted the breakaway over the top of the Col de Toutes Aures.  I guess he is supposed to be an angel and antecedent to the Devil we are used to see along the mountain roads in the Alps.  Regardless, he was cheering the breakaway of Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L'IMAD) and Loes Adegeest (Lidl-Trek).  As they went over the summit that had built up a little over six minutes lead over the peloton. Would it be enough to hold off a peloton that is riding for their sprinters despite the couple of short climbs that face them as the ride into Nice.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Flying Over the Col TdFF26-48" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →  

Tour Femmes '26, Stage 5: Looking to Help

After spending the whole stage in the front group, Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L'IMAD) was called back to help her team leaders, one in the Maillot Blanc, to get back up to the front group.  Both Paula Blasi and Elisa Longo Borghini had been dropped by the peloton on the penultimate climb of the day.  In hope of keeping Blasi in white, she left her other teammate up front and slowed up looking for her teammates.  She did her job pulling them, but they never regained the front of the race.  Blasi lost her title of best young rider in the Tour, and Squiban ended up losing five minutes on those she had been with.  The bright note, the teammate she left up front, Domininka Wlodarczyk, finished fourth and moved into fifth on the general classification.  By helping her teammates, her team moved back into the lead of the Team Classification.  

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Looking to Help TdFF26-30" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →   

Tour Femmes '26, Stage 5: Unchallenged

Despite one rider being up the road, Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) was unchallenged for the remaining sprint points available in Monsols.  Just as Mads Pedersen had done in the men's Tour, she got herself over the opening climbs of the day with the peloton just so she could grab these sprint points.  She had her teammate, Elena Cecchini on her wheel just to make sure no one tried to come around her.  On their wheels were Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L'IMAD) and the Women's World Champion Magdeleine Valliers (EF Education-Oatly).  I think this is the first time I have had the opportunity to paint her since she claim the title in Rwanda last fall.  The rainbow stripes look good on her!

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Unchallenged TdFF26-26" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →   

Tour Femmes '26, Stage 3: Time to Chase

I'm not sure why it took so long, but with thirty-eight kilometers to race, the peloton finally started to chase the two women up the road.  With the increase in pace, the peloton stretched out into a fast single-file line with those at the back wondering what happened.  Paula Ostiz (Movistar) popped off the back just after I painted this.  Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L'IMAD) - who had won a stage so beautifully last year - hung onto the wheel of Laura Ascencio (Ma Petite Entreprise) with Malwina Mul (Cofidis) and Emilie Morier (St Michel-Home Preference-Auber93) hanging onto the wheels in front of them. Everyone but Ostiz finished with the peloton, but none ever caught the two up the road.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Time to Chase TdFF26-16" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →  

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 8: For the Honor in It

Franziska Koch (Picnic-PostNL) and Maeva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) jumped out of the breakaway to sprint for the intermediate sprint in Chateauneuf.  Neither feature much in the race for the Maillot Vert of the sprint competition, Koch is now over a hundred points behind the leader in green, Lorena Wiebes.  Still there is a nice cash bonus for being first across the line in every sprint point on the road.  The price money goes into the team kitty and is then shared out amongst the riders and the team support personnel in some kind of ethical distribution methodology, either at the end of the race, or the end of the season.  I do think this sprint was more about honoring the fans waiting to see the peloton sprint than much else.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"For the Honor in It TdFF25-47" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 7: Doing the Double

Yesterday, Maeva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) had dropped the peloton and gone solo for thirty-two kilometers to win the stage.  Today, she waited until kilometer twenty-three before attacking her breakaway companions.  Yesterday she blew kisses to the French fans that lined the final kilometers, today she used several different victory salutes before ending with this.  She raised a single finger on each hand and then put them together over her head.  I get that she was signaling that she had won two stages in a row, but I got the feeling she was just having fun giving herself bunny ears.  Hey, if you have won two stages of the Tour de France Femmes you should have all the fun you have the energy to have!

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Doing the Double TdFF25-42" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting has sold!

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 7: Up Close

The fans lined both sides of the summit of the Cote de Saint Franc, many with their children on their shoulders, to cheer the breakaway across the top of the first climb of the day.  The break was led over the Queen of the Mountains point by yesterday's stand-out Maeva Squiban (UAE Team Emirates).  She was followed over the top by Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek), Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal), Mareille Meijering (Movistar) and Celia Mouel (Ceratizit).  There were three more just behind the sextet, but I can't see everyone all of the time, unlike these fans who will see everyone come over this mountain eventually.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Up Close TdFF25-38" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 7: Are You Coming?

Wearing her green bib number indicating she was voted the most aggressive rider from stage 6, Maeva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) looks back at the TV Moto as if to ask if he is going to come with her.   She is on the tail of the day's early breakaway.  Beside her seeming to try and guest what Squiban is looking at is Susanne Andersen (Uno X-Mobility).  Just in front of her is the Belgian Champion, Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal).  Had I known how this stage was going to end, I may have read something else into this look over her shoulder.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Are You Coming? TdFF25-36" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 6: Blowing Kisses

As Maeva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) rode alone to the line in Amberet she had plenty of time to celebrate with the local fans lining the barriers.  She blew kisses to those cheering her before waving her arms encouraging them all to cheer louder.  She finally did the more traditional two-armed salute as she crossed the line a full minute and nine seconds ahead of her countrywoman Juliette Labous (FDJ-Suez) who was another four seconds ahead of the Maillot Jaune - Kim Le Court.  Her third place added two more seconds to the four she picked up twelve kilometers ago.  As I was working on this painting, I was so happy with the asymmetrical composition that I thought it would be best to leave the red race director's car out of the painting.  Ah, the advantages of not being a photographer...

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.  

"Blowing Kisses TdFF25-35" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 6: Flying Home

Actually, today's stage started in Maeva Squiban's (UAE Team ADQ) hometown of Clermont Ferrand, so the title should be, "Flying Away from Home."  Squiban escaped the lead peloton before the bonus sprint on the way up the Col du Chansert.  She climbed well over the last climb, but, boy, she went down that hill fast!  Her team has lost three of her seven teammates, so I believe she is on a mission to bring a little joy to the team bus waiting in Amberet.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra. 

"Flying Home TdFF25-33" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 5: She Tried

The race commissare on the back of the motorcycle was making sure that no cars or motorbikes were between Maeva Squiban (Arkea-B&B Hotels) and the peloton.  Since she was slowly being reeled in by the group behind, he didn't want them to get any extra advantage in their chase by catching a draft off any of the press or support vehicles.  Squiban had gone off on her own in hopes of bridging up to the three leaders but it just didn't work out for her.  At least she tried.  It wasn't a day for just sitting in the peloton and hoping you could outsprint everyone else, particularly if you aren't known for your sprinting prowess.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"She Tried TdFF24-25" (Original art by Greig Leach)